Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* British wine writer Jancis Robinson has ended her visit to the Cape Winelands this week, and writes that she has been ‘hugely impressed by the quality of the wines of the best producers and by the much broader range of wine styles and provenances than there was on my last visit’ seven years ago. She described our country as the ‘wonderful source of underpriced fine white wine. It has taken longer for red wines to please this finicky international palate‘. Our industry does not need to be defined by our indigenous Pinotage, she feels.
* Could Cape Town/South Africa/Africa get a Grand Prix again, after more than 20 years? Bernie Ecclestone has speculated that such a race could be possible by next year. As Killarney is not suitable, it would have to be a street race in Cape Town. This proposal was however rejected by City of Cape Town’s Directorate of Tourism, Events, and Marketing in 2013, due to the cost.
* Roger Jones, owner of Michelin star restaurant Harrow at Little Bedwyn in the UK, has just returned from a trip to our country. He observed that South Africa battles to convince the UK trade that we make good quality premium wines, and that they deserve a premium price. While Eben Sadie and the Mullineux wines have managed to do so, the rest only manages to attain a ‘fair price‘. Our country’s wine are championed by smaller specialist importers in the UK, with the ‘big boys are holding back’, he said. He believes not hosting trade shows for our country’s wines in the UK this year, due to Cape Wine being held in September, is a mistake.
* Uber and restaurant website Zomato have teamed up, each Zomato app restaurant listing showing an Uber pop-up, giving a time estimate of how long it would take to wait for an Uber driver. The Uber It service is now available in London, Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban. An additional service Zomato will offer is finding restaurants in Cape Town and Johannesburg which are not affected by loadshedding!
* Franschhoek Vignerons is hosting Franschhoek Summer Wines on Saturday 7 February, from 12h00 – 17h00, at Leopard’s Leap. Entrance costs R120, and tickets can be booked via webtickets. Dresscode is white. The following wine estates will present white, Rosé, and MCC wines to taste: Anthonij Rupert Wines – L’Ormarins Brut Classique & Cape of Good Hope Altima Sauvignon Blanc 2014; Bellingham Wines – Bellingham Old Orchard Chenin Blanc 2013; Boschendal wines – Sauvignon Blanc 1685. Four Paws Wines – Four Paws Sauvignon Blanc 2014; Franschhoek Cellar – Franschhoek Vineyard Semillon 2013; GlenWood – Sauvignon Blanc 2014; Grande Provence – Grande Provence Rose 2014, Haute Cabriere – Pierre Jourdan Belle Rose Magnum; Holden Manz – Chardonnay; La Bri – La Bri Chardonnay 2013; La Chataigne – Kastanje 2014; La Motte – Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc 2014; Leopard’s Leap Family Vineyards – Leopard’s Leap Culinaria Pinot Noir Chardonnay; Lynx Wines – Blanc de Noir 2014; Morena – Morena Brut Rose; Plaisir de Merle – Plaisir de Merle Chardonnay 2014; Rickety Bridge – Foundation Stone White; Rupert & Rothschild Vignerons – Baroness Nadine 2012; and Solms-Delta – Solms-Delta Rose 2014. (received via e-mail from Franschhoek Vignerons.
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Tel (021) 433-2100, Twitter:@WhaleCottage Facebook: click here
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